Originally Posted By markcanada I just booked the last of our vacation tickets, and I'm pretty excited. In Canada, we have a loyalty program called AirMiles, where you get points by shopping at certain gas stations, grocery stores, certain airlines, hardware stores, etc. Plus, you can build up points using an AirMiles credit card, also. We started saving years ago, joking that one day we'd have enough for a "real" vacation. But sometimes we'd cash in some points for merchandise like a DVD player. Meanwhile, also saving loose change and putting it into a savings account. By last fall, we decided that, given the age of our kids, the time to go would be within the next year, just a matter of choosing the best time, with the plan that maybe we'd save a bit of money with our AirMiles, but prepared to pay for it all if we had to. Well, after months and months of research and booking and plannning, everything is all set. Six of us are travelling (5 in our family and my mother, also). I did the calculations for all our expenses except spending money - flight, car rental (plus gas and insurance), hotel, meals, park passes, miscellaneous snack money. In total, our trip would have cost about $8,000 Canadian. Using about 25,000 AirMiles for flights, van rental, 6 Disneyland park passes (5 day hoppers), 6 Legoland, and one of our Universal passes, we are saving about $4,000, or about 50% of our costs. We have to pay for flight taxes, food, our hotel (but at $49 per night Entertainment book rate booked last March), Universal passes for 4 (bought on-line at 43.00 each, $10. off), gas, car insurance, and cancellation insurance. Oh, and those dimes and nickels have added up to about $1,000 in the bank, to help pay for what's left over! Anyway, I'm pretty excited about all this (just a few weeks away now!), so I thought I'd share my experience.
Originally Posted By iDisney72 It is always fun to know you saved some money, especially half your costs! I am planning on saving my Disney Rewards points through my Disney Visa until I can save at least half of a vacation, and your post shows it is well worth waiting! Enjoy your trip.
Originally Posted By mickeynewe * faints * $8,000 ????? So glad we are lucky enough to live within 7 hours of Disneyland....I'll never complain again! Even when we went to WDW for 10 days, stayed at Dixie Landing (Disney property) for 7 days and then took the 3-Day Disney cruise, we only spent about $3,000 or so. Now, that was 7 years ago (wow, hard to imagine its been that long!) and I realize there is inflation, but thats a down payment on a car! Glad you and your family were able to work out that discount! More now than ever, I hope you REALLY ENJOY all the Disney magic. You and your family truly deserve it after planning and working so hard!! Have a *magical* time!!
Originally Posted By markcanada Yeah, because we're coming so far (we're the province north of North Dakota), airfare is a big cost. and because we're coming so far, going to stay for 10 days, 9 nights. And renting a minivan. And we have to eat . . . plus our dollar is only worth .85 US dollars (not complaining, it was down to 70 cents not too long ago). So this is really going to be our "all-out" major vacation for years to come, so it was nice to save a bit where we could.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>So glad we are lucky enough to live within 7 hours of Disneyland....I'll never complain again!<< I've estimated that our 9 day trip (6 at DL) is going to run us $3500. We splurged and are getting two rooms at HoJos, otherwise it would have been about $3000. My brother is using airline miles and Hilton points to really do it on the cheap.
Originally Posted By funnygarcia I love using programs to make a little extra on stuff you buy anyway. I have "earned" $25 GC for Rainforest Cafe, $30 in Disney Dollars, and a bit of cash in paypal in the last 3 months with my paid to read/paid to click/paid to shop type programs. I also used my Upromise cc to pay for air and hotel and that will net me some more $$. It's not a lot compared to markcanada...WOW!! good job BTW!!.. but every little bit helps!
Originally Posted By Ursula Yes but isn't $8000 Canadian about $57 American? I kid. But in all honesty, good job on you! I am the queen of discounts and I am coupon mad. I only book our Vegas trips if we get really good deals ($35/way for the flight, rooms at $45-70/night). Have you had any luck with your hard-cost portions using online discount codes? I Google for these whenever we have to rent a car in Las Vegas. The best deal I ever had was $9.98/day for a compact car...and our vehicle insurance covers rental insurance, so we save a lot there, too.
Originally Posted By iDisney72 I think I figured out that it is costing you about $6800 in US money. I can imagine the flight is a huge dent in the cost, so it makes a lot of sense that you are going for 10 days, and making the most of your trip.
Originally Posted By 101215 We are coming from Australia and our trip calculations are at US$8900 at the moment for 5 of us. That is for 21 days (only 13 in hotels, the rest at friends house) Mini van hire 21 days inc taxes 5 days DL, 1 day Universal 1 day Sea world 1 day Monterey bay aquarium 1 day Alcatraz 21 food allowance $200 per day (maybe need more?) Travel Insurance Freq Flyer taxes for 2 tickets and 3 standby flights ($12,000 worth of flights for $3,200!!!!!!) I rekon I have got really good prices for most things, but have spent hours and hours and hours all year reserching. Garden is a mess, housework is piling up and I really must cook a decent meal soon!!! But boy, what deal I have found!! It's been fun and now only 29 days to go!!
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>Freq Flyer taxes for 2 tickets and 3 standby flights ($12,000 worth of flights for $3,200!!!!!!)<< Ouch! We are lucky in the US. The IRS has been trying for years to get loyalty tickets taxed as income, but have not suceeded.
Originally Posted By markcanada Even in Canada, a "free" flight isn't free. You still have to pay various taxes, landing fees, etc. (basically, anything the airline has to be pay someone else, so they can't discount it). So on a total ticket price of about $550 each, we saved $400 and paid $150. Still a pretty good discount, but not "free."
Originally Posted By 101215 Our taxes are mostly airport based, I think. They are definately not income based, and I don't think much if any are government taxes. I am not totally an expert though!! My hubby and 15 y/o son have those tickets and my 2 daughters and I have the standby tickets.We are crossing fingers and toes that we get upgraded, which would be cool!!
